EU Health and Food Safety Commissioner says Egypt’s products began meeting food safety requirements

Egyptian strawberries, peppers were compliant with food safety regs in 2H2017, says EU: Egyptian strawberries and peppers improved in quality and began meeting European food safety regulations in 2H2017, the EU Health and Food Safety Commissioner reportedly said in a letter to the Agriculture Ministry. The commissioner noted that residual pesticide levels on strawberries dropped to 0.62% from 7.18% during 1H2017, Minister Abdel Moneim El Banna said, according to Al Borsa. Egyptian pepper exports also improved in quality, leading to a drop in rejected shipments to 5.2% of total shipments, down from 14.5% in the first half of the year. Imports of Egypt’s strawberries and peppers have been banned by several countries — including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait — over high levels of residual pesticides. The Agriculture Ministry has since moved to impose more stringent inspection measures on agricultural product exports.